Top Foods for a Flatter Belly
Fight the good fight with good fats
The quality of the food you eat, just like the quantity, makes a big difference in slimming your midsection. According to Cynthia Sass, creator of the Flat Belly Diet, foods with monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) are the key to a slimming your midsection. “We’re starting to see certain types of fats affect the body differently, and monounsaturated fatty acids may help reduce or prevent belly fat accumulation,” she says. With a basic Mediterranean diet in mind, consider incorporating items from these five categories into calorie-controlled meals:
Olive oil, sunflower and safflower oil: Incorporate these MUFA-rich oils into light salad dressings, grilled veggie dishes and vegetable stir-fry.
Nuts and seeds: These can be used in any meal – simply add them to oatmeal or cereal, salads or sandwiches. Sass recommends adding seeds or pine nuts to chicken salad or tuna salad for a fun twist. Also consider nut butters, like almond and cashew, but avoid any with partially hydrogenated oil.
Avocado: Avocados are typically mashed or sliced, so add them to a breakfast sandwich or wrap for some added flavor and satisfaction.
Dark chocolate: Don’t miss an excuse to have chocolate – melt and drizzle dark chocolate over fruit or nonfat Greek yogurt. If you want a quick snack, toss a few dark chocolate chips in a bag and eat them on the run.
Olives: As a versatile food, olives can be sliced and added to pasta dishes, sandwiches, vegetables, whole grain pizza and even eggs.
Meals
If cleaning up your diet sounds daunting, check out these meal suggestions from Tara Gidus, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, Chicago, for a few easy ways to set your habits straight:
Breakfast: Whole grain cereal with high fiber, milk and blueberries on top.
Lunch: Whole grain wrap with lean turkey, lettuce, tomatoes and a side salad or cup of fruit.
Dinner: Salmon and cooked vegetables with whole grain barley, brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
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